Greek Broccoli Salad

After consuming all the chips and salsa in Austin (which were washed down with margaritas and queso, which were followed by tacos and more tacos), the unfortunate state of my midsection practically dictated that I be more kind to myself. So, I took a week off from drinking and dragged myself back to yoga. I’ve also been eating at home and filling up on lots of fresh produce. I’m feeling more balanced by the day.

I’ve never put much stock in detox diets or cleansing juice fasts, but I found myself googling “detoxifying foods” the other day. I patted myself on the back when I saw the list: greens, alliums, citrus, olive oil, cruciferous vegetables, beets, whole grains, etc. It was like skimming a list of all my favorite ingredients! Whole foods really are the best medicine.

This healthy broccoli salad contains a good number of those detoxifying ingredients. Broccoli, shallot, olive oil and almonds combine with a few of my favorite Greek flavors to create a simple and utterly delicious side salad. Sun-dried tomatoes play a leading role, of course. Almonds add some crunch and play nicely with the flavor of broccoli. Feta or kalamata olives lend a bold, salty punch, but they overpowered the other flavors once combined, so I would choose one or the other. This salad will be perfect for spring potlucks and picnics, which are surely coming soon, right?!

This healthy broccoli salad recipe is packed with my favorite Greek flavors, including sun-dried tomatoes, feta or olives, garlic and lemon. It's really easy to prepare and holds up well in the refrigerator, so it's a great make-ahead side dish or potluck dish. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 30 minutes before serving so the broccoli has a chance to marinate in the bold, lemony dressing (it's great right away, too, though!). Recipe yields about 4 side servings so multiply if you're feeding a crowd.

In a medium-sized serving bowl, toss together the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, shallot or red onion, feta or olives and almonds.

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until emulsified. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 30 minutes before serving (but like I said, it's great right away, too!).

Notes

Recipe based on my Greek salad with chickpeas and broccoli.*on sun-dried tomatoes. I'm partial to Trader Joe's sun-dried tomatoes that come in a bag because they aren't oily but they're soft enough to eat right out of the bag. You could also use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and patted dry. If you're using tough, dried tomatoes, you'll need to soak them in boiling water until they're pliable, then pat them dry and chop them up.Make it vegan: Use olives instead of feta and maple syrup or agave instead of honey. Make it nut-free: Omit the almonds entirely or replace them with raw or roasted, shelled sunflower seeds.

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Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cookieandkate!

I so agree with you, Kate. Whole foods are the best medicine! Our liver is our detoxifying organ, and then it’s up to us what we put in our bodies. The liver will take care of the rest. That’s a funny picture of Cookie munching on broccoli- even the dog knows what’s good! Thank you for this recipe. Will make it for my Thursday dinner guests. We use TJ sun-dried tomatoes for the same reasons, too.

Having just returned from eating my way across Paris, I know all about the doughy pudge that inevitably sprouts at the mid-section post vacation. I am eschewing all carbs and wine (sniff!) and sticking with lean meats and whole foods for the time being. This salad has moved to the top of my list!

What a timely recipe, this matches my mood. I am so ready for green outside and not just on my plate! But I guess this will do nicely while I impatiently wait. My broccoli lovers (kids, not dogs haha) are gonna like this.

I love the med spin on what I usually see as an Asian salad. I mean, who doesn’t love feta, olives and sun dried tomatoes. My pups are all big raw veg lovers too, although zucchini was always Chewy’s favorite.

I lobe broccoli salad but that Greek twist is putting this over the top! If I can get to town to get some the ingredients I’ll be making this for a dinner party on Friday night. It was so fun to hear your speak at ChoppedCon last fall too. Keep up the great work lady!

I love that photo of Cookie with the broccoli stalk! What a cute little thief :)
Broccoli is my favourite vegetable, and while I’m happy eating it raw, or just steamed, this salad is a much more tempting proposition! I don’t think it will be serving four in our house though! Just two lunch servings for one hungry (in need of some post-summer waistline care) lady :)

Oh my gosh, that photograph of Cookie and the broccoli stalk…! Ah! So cute. Loki is also proving himself to be a little thief, he stole a mushroom that I dropped the other day and very much enjoyed munching little bits off it for half an hour. As for this broccoli salad? So gorgeous. I love cruciferous vegetables also and always feel much better after eating a nice big bowl full. My sister in law makes what I thought was the best broccoli salad with cranberries and almonds, but.. you know what? This one might top it. Can’t wait to give it a try (and to give Loki the broccoli stalk to run away with, haha!) xxx

I would do the detox thing if it didn’t mean drinking all of my food! I love the idea of taking the recommended ingredients and turning them into real, chewable food. LIke this salad! All my favorite flavors in one bowl!

I’m SO with you on that, Joanne! I was reading about juice cleanses the other day (not that I would ever try one…) and a lot of resources said that fat and fiber are necessary for detoxification. Broccoli salad for the win!

Wow! This was so delicious and easy to make! I don’t think I have ever eaten so much raw broccoli in one sitting!
I’ve recently switched to a ‘almost’ completely plant based diet (per my oncologist!) and I will be adding this to my weekly rotation! Thanks for sharing!
Heidi

Can’t say I’ve ever had cravings for broccoli before, but this salad did it! Tried it this weekend, but it disappeared so quickly, I’ve allready had to make a second batch. Have eaten it both as a stand alone salad, and as a side dish paired with rice and stew. Loved it!

I was just searching for your lemony lentil salad recipe that I’ve made before and I got diverted to this recipe because it looks so good. What if I combined the two recipes into one super salad? The dressing is very similar … Lentils and broccoli?

I love this salad! The first time I made it, I will say the strong lemon scent of the dressing made me nervous, but it is delicious! I’ve made it 3 or 4 times since. It’s great to make for company: it looks fancy, but is quick to make and put together ahead of time.

Hi Kate! Thanks for the great ideas and fantastic spice for the eyes with your photos! That Cookie is something else! I was thinking to make one big batch of this salad for two different events this Sat and Sun. How long could you leave it marinating before serving? Should I keep the second batch of dressing separate until the day of? Can’t wait to try it! Happy holiday weekend!

Hi Stephanie! I’m sorry I didn’t answer your comment in time. In case anyone else has the same question, I think you could let it marinate for 12 hours in advance (so you could make it the night before) and I think your idea to keep the second batch of dressing separate is a good one!

Thanks, Kate. Hope you had a nice holiday weekend! I ended up making quadruple(!) the recipe, so it was a little hard to divide enough dressing for the second batch. Seems like making a bit extra of that delicious dressing wouldn’t be bad! I did keep it separate for the second batch and I see now that at least a few hours marinating really makes a difference. Was still delicious, but the flavor is of course richer and broccoli less raw once it has sat. Now I know I have a 12 hour window for next time…

We’re making this for the 4th today! I just had to drag my husband to the computer to show him that another dog loves broccoli. Our dog is OBSESSED with broccoli – and everyone else thinks it’s the weirdest thing. Though she likes brussel sprouts even more because they taste like broccoli but can be batted around like a ball :)

It’s oppressively hot today, and I had the “bag o broccoli” from Costco. Didn’t want the “mayo-ey” salads I was seeing and just made your delicious recipe.. THIS IS WONDERFUL!!! I only made one small change.. even though too hot to cook, I blanched the broccoli for 3 min, then chilled. Your seasoning for the dressing is perfect!!! Thank you.

Thanks for a fresh & delicious recipe! I just made this for dinner wih a couple of minor adjustments – I steamed broccoli for a couple of minutes so I could use the stems & used a fresh tomato as that’s all I had & it was a success, love the dressings!I’ll make this again

Found your website while looking for new salad recipes here in the UK. We don’t use cups so much for measuring, so went for approximate measurements. Love, love, love this. First time using raw broccoli which was a revelation, and the dressing is new one for my repertoire! Thanks for sharing. Delicious!

Made this last night and it was amazing! My bf loved it so much he had 3rds, and he is not usually a huge salad guy. What a delicious way to eat veggies. I used pepitas instead of almonds for allergy reasons. I will 100% make this again. Thank you for all your wonderful, plant-centric recipes!

This was a very bright tasting salad and was a very popular potluck offering. The lemon dressing is a nice change from a vinegar-based dressing and really plays off the vegetables. I used half cauliflower and half brocolli as that is what the garden offered and it was very pretty. After assembling the salad ( using feta, no olives, no nuts) and it sitting for about 2 hours before serving, I thought it a bit too salty. About 1/4 tsp. of salt – or none- would probably be better as the feta and mustard both add to the salt flavor. I will be making this again.